Thursday, 17 May 2012

As usual, to get into suspensions part, tire must be removed. Make sure you put something to support the jack just in case something bad happen. Seven screws need to remove in order to take out the lower arm. Three screw in this picture below, No.1 and No.2 use wrench no.17, while No.3 use wrench no.14.

After you remove all the three screws, remove four screws that lock the stabilizer bar. Refer picture below

Remove the stabilizer bar from the lower arm , you can start knock the lower arm downward to take it out from wheel hub. It should be easy..

Then install a new lower arm by applying soft knock upward to get it in the wheel hub. Watch out the slope before you can insert the bolt (No.1 on the first picture) and tighten it followed by bolt no.3 (on the first picture) . Then put back the stabilizer bar into its hole at the lower arm, don't forget the rubber bush. Tighten it all. Then screw back the screw that lock the stabilizer bar at the front. To make your work easy, put something under the stabilizer bar, and slowly lower the jack until the stabilizer bar sit on its position before you can screw the bolt back.

Now, raise up the jack back and put back the tire. Make sure all the bolt and nuts well tighten.. Drive to the nearest wheel allignment shop for wheel allignment. That all..

Hi guys, now I want to share with you on how to change the Tie Rod End and steering boot.

Tool needed is

1. Jack

2. Lug Nut spannar

3. Spannar no. 12,14,17

4. Adjustable spannar

5. New Tie Rod End

6. New steering boot

7. WD40

8. Heavy duty grease

9. Pliers

10. Cable tie

First, jack and remove the front rim by removing the lug nut, refer here. If you are doing work at the right side of the wheel, turn your steering to the left, so that easy for you to get into it. Refer to the picture below in red circle, loosen this nut first before you start any work. Then remove the safety pin before you can remove the Tie Rod End nut (refer to the picture, a yellow arrow). Spray WD40 to the circled area, it will help you to loosen the Tie Rod End. You need a hammer to knock the metal (in yellow circle) in order to take it out, or you can knock it from the bottom of the Tie Rod End (never do this if you want to recycle the Tie Rod End, as the thread will be damage).

Wear & tear Tie Rod End

Wear & tear steering boot

Before you remove the Tie Rod End, mark the thread first, (Im using paper tape, refer picture below) so that the wheel allignment will not different too much for you to drive to the allignment shop.

In order to take out the torn steering boot, you need to cut the aluminium clip or cable tie at the both side of the steering boot. Once the torn steering boot removed, clean the ball joint and rub with heavy duty grease before installing a new steering boot. Remember to tie the new steering boot inner with cable tie. Maybe you should turn your steering wheel to the right to make your work easier. Now screw back the nut until it reached the mark you made before and then continue installing a new Tie Rod End.

Newly installed Tie Rod End and steering boot

Screw back the Tie Rod End nut and remember to put back the safety pin into it place. Make sure it tight enough as this thing (Tie Rod End) work to push or pull the wheel to the left or right whenever you turn the steering wheel. Otherwise, you will loose controll of your vehicle.

New (left) and torn (right) tie rod end & steering boot

Lastly, drive to the nearest wheel allignment shop slowly, as your car maybe will steer to the left or right without turning your steering wheel, so becareful.. Gud luck..

DIY save your money!!

Note: This DIY project is not recommended for those who stay far away from wheel allignment shop.

Thursday, 3 May 2012

This is step-by-step on how to change the Perodua Kancil alternator carbon brush. Alternator plays an important role in the car electrical system, it generate electric to the whole electronic equipment as well as charging the battery. One of the most important part in the alternator in order to generate electric is carbon brush that will be exhausted in 7-8years depend on the usage.

The tools/item needed
1. Spanar/ring no 10,12,and 14. if you wish to clean the interior or the alternator, you will need ring no.8
2. Screw driver. Use high quality one
3. Soldering kit
4. New carbon brush

Before you start, disconnect the positive terminal on the battery to avoid short circut. Then disconnect all the wire connected to the alternator. One socket and another one that is covered by red cap (positive terminal) need to use ring no.10 to remove it.
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﻿ To take out the alternator, there is three bolt need to unscrew. First, the tensioner bolt. After that you can remove the alternator belt. Second the tensioner itself that screwed to the engine block, both use ring/spannar no.12. The third bolt located at the bottom of the alternator, use no.14 ring/spannar. To take out the alternator from the engine bay, you need your personnal skills to do it. As for me, I take it out from below the black aircond hose, loosen any hose/pipe mounting before that to avoid over tension to the hose while the alternator through below it.
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The three zinc cover screw in yellow circle

﻿ Use screw driver to unscrew the three screw behind the alternator to remove the zinc cover. Refer picture above. If you have smaller size of spannar/ring better to use it. I'm not very sure what size it is, but very sure not no.8, maybe no.5/6/7.
After remove the zinc cover, you will find the maroon rubber that cover alternator brush. Unscrew the two screw then you can take out the carbon brush. Refer picture below.
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In the yellow circle is the carbon brush housing, arrow is a rubber carbon brush housing cover

﻿﻿ Remove the exhausted carbon brush solder by using soldering iron and replace it with new one. Make enough hole to insert the carbon brush wire through it. Remember to put the spring first, then the carbon brush. Adjust the carbon brush on same level before you solder it back. If you wish to service or clean the interior, use no.8 spannar to unscrew 4 long screws. I cannot do this because I dont have spannar/ring no.8
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﻿ Then you can now put all the thing back into its place. When installing back the alternator to its position, screw bolt below the alternator first, second the tensioner mounting and last one the belt tensioner. Use wooden stick or iron rod to push the alternator to tension-up the belt while another hand tighten the tensioner bolt.
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What does engine smoke mean? Three types of smokes that can be found on petrol and diesel engine that is white, blue and black smoke. When smoke come out from exhaust, mean that something wrong with the engine. But there is an exception that when you start the cold engine especially in the morning, you will see white smoke blowing from an exhaust and a little bit drop of water from the exhaust tip and disappear when the engine was warmed up to its operating temperature. That is normal. But if the smoke continuous blowing, better ready with budget on it.

Blue smoke - The engine burning oil. Check the engine oil level on the deepstick, the oil could be getting into the lowest level and this is very dengerous that can damage the whole engine. Go the the nearest service center for compression test. Possibility of cause:

Worn piston ring

Worn valve

Worn valve seal

Scratch cylinders

White smoke - The engine burning coolant. Check the coolant level in the radiator and also in the reserve tank. The coolant could be burn together with the air/fuel mixture because because of this;

Leak/blown head gasket

Cracked engine head or block

Black smoke - The engine air/fuel mixture is too rich. This is normal for diesel engine when cold start but abnormal for petrol engine. Possibility of cause;

Broken automatic choke for carburator engine

Leak/faulty fuel injector for Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) engine

Too high/much fuel pressure

Clogged air filter

Another tips

If the smoke come out during engine idle and in normal operating temperature, the piston ring worn and need to do general overhaul.

If the smoke come out only when throttle or speeding, the valve seal need to replace (top overhaul)

If the smoke come out during idle and speeding, the engine head/block could be cracked.